


Lost and Found

by onlyfriend



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aesthetic Bucky Barnes, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Artist Steve Rogers, Bi Bucky Barnes, Boys Kissing, Bucky gets lost super easily, Explicit Language, Fluff, Gay Steve Rogers, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Make Out Session, Mention of underage drinking, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-11-04 13:14:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20754398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyfriend/pseuds/onlyfriend
Summary: Prompt: Bucky's always getting lost and one day, Steve finds him.





	Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

> All editing mistakes are my own.

The thing is, Bucky Barnes doesn't try to get lost. He just does. It doesn't matter how many times he's been on the same roads; or how many times he's seen the same signs over and over again. He can just never remember the right directions.    
  
Like right now, he's late to his best friend's sweet sixteen.  _ Natasha's going to absolutely kill me _ , Bucky thinks as he tries to get his phone to reload the directions. Somehow, he ended up in a park. A park, for crying out loud! He's been going to Natasha's house since they were six years old, why can't he remember how to get there?   
  
"God dammit," Bucky curses to himself. "Where the hell am I?"    
  
His phone starts ringing in his pocket, and he already knows who it is. "Where the fuck are you?" Natasha's voice yells through the phone.    
  
"I'm lost," Bucky sighs, hearing the party going on in the background.    
  
"Where are you?" Natasha groans. Something crashes in the background and she immediately begins screaming at whoever broke something. "I swear to god, James! Get your ass over here!"   
  
He's about to tell Natasha to ask Clint if he can pick him up, but his phone goes dead. "Fuck!"    
  
He looks around to see if there's a telephone booth- do those even still exist? All he sees is trees and grass. I am so fucked, Bucky thinks. In the distance, he sees someone sitting on a park bench. Sighing, he slowly walks up to the guy and clears his throat.    
  
The guy jumps a little, and when he turns his head to look at Bucky, his heart skips about twenty beats.  _ Holy shit _ , Bucky's eyes go wide.    
  
Whoever this boy is, Bucky wants to know anything and everything about him. He's tiny, maybe too tiny. He looks too pale and scrawny, but his knuckles are red and healing from what looks like a fight. His blonde hair is trimmed on his head, a few strands fall into his eyes and he flicks it away with those nimble and strangely long fingers. His eyes are a pure shade of sky blue, and his eyelashes are ridiculously long and fan his cheeks when he blinks. He has a nose that looks like it's been broken a few too many times, and plump pink lips that he wets with his tongue.    
  
Bucky has never seen anyone more beautiful.    
  
"Uh?" the boy raises a brow. He has a startling deep voice for such a tiny body.    
  
Bucky realizes he's been staring for a good minute. "Oh! Sorry. Yeah, um..."   
  
"Yeah?" the boy looks at him like he's crazy.    
  
Speak, Barnes. "Sorry to bother you, but could I borrow your phone? Mine died and I need to contact someone."   
  
The boy nods his head and reaches into his pocket. "Yeah, sure."   
  
"Thank you so much!" Bucky smiles, reaching out and grabbing the little black device. The boy's already pulled up the dial pad, and he types in Natasha's number and holds the phone up to his ear.    
  
Bucky looks back at the boy while the phone's dialing. The boy has a blue sweater on and skinny jeans that show his frail legs. The boy realizes Bucky saw him staring and immediately turns red and turns his head back to whatever he was doing before Bucky interrupted him.    
  
"Hello?" Natasha's answers.   
  
"It's Bucky," he says. "My phone died so I'm using someone else's."   
  
"I am going to kill you!" Natasha sounds pissed off. "My party started an hour ago! Are you even coming?"   
  
"Yes, yes I am!" Bucky immediately reassures her. "My mom couldn't drive me and I didn't want to bother anyone for a ride so I decided to walk to your house. I guess I took a wrong turn because I think I'm in a park."   
  
"Dude," Natasha deadpans. "I literally live five minutes away from you. You've been to my house like a million times!"   
  
"I know, I know!" Bucky sighs. "I'm sorry. I just need someone to help me get there."   
  
"Do you know what park you're at?" Natasha asks.    
  
"Uh," Bucky has no idea where he is.    
  
"Marvel County Park," the boy says.    
  
"Uh, Marvel County Park," Bucky answers Natasha. "Thanks."   
  
"No problem," the boy shrugs, not looking at Bucky.    
  
"Who are you talking to?" Natasha asks.   
  
"The person that let me borrow his phone," Bucky says.    
  
"Tell him that I say thanks for being there for your dumbass," Natasha claims.    
  
"Is Clint coming or not?" Bucky rolls his eyes.    
  
"Yeah, he's on his way!" Natasha says. "Dude, Marvel County Park is literally in the other direction of my house."   
  
"Is it really?" Bucky sighs. "God, why do I always do this?"    
  
"I have to go. I think Scott's about to break something else." Natasha sighs.    
  
"Alright," Bucky says. "I'll see you in a little. I'm sorry."   
  
"Yeah," Natasha deadpans. "You better have gotten me a nice present."   
  
"Oh," Bucky gulps. "I think I left it at home."   
  
"James, I swear to god-" Natasha starts.    
  
"I'm kidding," Bucky laughs. "It's still in the mail, though."   
  
"Whatever," Natasha says. "You better get here, asshole."   
  
"I love you," Bucky says.    
  
"Sure you do," Natasha says before hanging up.    
  
The blonde boy with gorgeous eyes looks up at him expectantly. They make eye contact until Bucky realizes the dude just wants his phone back. "Oh! Sorry."   
  
"It's okay," the boy smiles. He reaches his hand out and grabs his phone, accidentally brushing his fingers along Bucky's. He turns beet red. "Sorry!"   
  
"No, you're okay!" Bucky says. "Literally, I have to thank you. You kinda saved my life."   
  
"Really?" the boy raises his brow.    
  
"Yeah," Bucky can't seem to stop talking. "I mean, I wouldn't have any idea where I am if it weren't for you. So...thanks."   
  
"There's signs literally everywhere," the boy states.    
  
"I'm not very good at directions," Bucky says, cheeks going pink with embarrassment.    
  
"Does this happen a lot?" the boy asks.    
  
Bucky nods. "Yeah, it's actually pretty sad. I've lived in this town my entire life and I still don't know how to get anywhere."   
  
"Dude," the boy smirks. "I've lived here for like a month, and I haven't gotten lost yet."   
  
"You're new?" Bucky asks. "Wow, I probably look really dumb right now."    
  
"I'm Steve," the boy puts his hand out.    
  
"My name's James," Bucky shakes his hand. His hand is surprisingly strong in his own. "But you can call me Bucky."   
  
"Bucky," Steve repeats, and Bucky desperately wants to hear him say it again. "Nice to meet you. But, I think your ride is here."   
  
Bucky looks back and sees Clint, one of his closest friends, waving at him. For some reason, Bucky doesn't really want to leave this park. He wants to keep talking to Steve. Except, his best friend is expecting him and he'd be an asshole if he didn't show up to his best friend's sweet sixteen.   
  
"See you around?" Bucky asks, hopeful.   
  
"Sure," Steve smiles, and goes back to drawing something in his notebook.    
  
Bucky walks over to Clint, who's looking at him curiously. "Who's that?"    
  
Bucky smiles. "Steve."

  
-

  
The second time Bucky sees Steve is a few months later, on the first day of school.    
  
Bucky's a junior this year, so he really has no excuse getting lost anymore. And yet, here he is, frantically looking for his English class that he's ten minutes late for.    
  
He's looking at his schedule when he runs into someone. They both fall down, immediately hissing in pain at the harsh contact.    
  
"Sorry!" Bucky looks at whoever he ran into. "I wasn't watching where I was going and- Steve?"   
  
He's wearing the same blue sweater and skinny jeans. The blonde boy looks up in shock at his name. It takes him a moment to register who Bucky is and smiles. "Oh, hey!"   
  
Bucky gets up, and offers Steve his hand. Steve shakes his head and gets up on his own.  _ Huh _ , Bucky thinks.  _ Weird _ .    
  
"Sorry again," Bucky grimaces. "I'm trying to find my English class."   
  
Steve gives him a look. "Are you a freshman or something?"   
  
Bucky rolls his eyes. "I'm a junior."   
  
"And you're lost?" Steve raises his brow.    
  
"Yeah," Bucky turns pink from embarrassment.    
  
"You know you're in the history hallway, right?" Steve smirks.    
  
"Am I really?" Bucky looks around and notices all the historical designs on the walls. "Oh."   
  
"Yeah," Steve's still smirking.    
  
"Shut up," Bucky mutters. "What are you doing outside of class, anyway? First hour started fifteen minutes ago."   
  
"I had to meet with the nurse," Steve shrugs. "I'm headed back up to English."   
  
"Oh, what class are you in?" Bucky asks.    
  
"English three with Mrs. Hill," Steve answers.    
  
"Same!" Bucky practically squeaks. He tries to play it off by clearing his throat. "I mean, cool."   
  
"You wanna walk up there together?" Steve asks. "Wouldn't want you getting lost now, would we?"   
  
"Shut up, punk." Bucky rolls his eyes and starts walking.    
  
"Jerk," Steve smiles, and Bucky's heart flutters inside his chest. 

-

  
Steve and Bucky see each other daily, and even talk in between classes. Other than that, Bucky doesn't see him outside of school. Steve's made his own friends - turns out he's an art kid - and Bucky's distracted by his own. That doesn't stop Bucky's heart fluttering at the sight or thought of him, though.    
  
However, Steve is the last thing on his mind right now as he walks through the hospital hallways trying to remember his sister's room. He went to get a snack from the vending machine in the cafeteria and of course, forgot how to get back to his sister's room. It's a cold winter night and his sister's baby decided it was time to leave the womb and enter the real world.    
  
To be honest, he doesn't mind getting lost at the moment. As much as he loves his sister, he doesn't like being crammed in a hospital room with the rest of his family. Besides, the baby is kind of ugly in his opinion. He finally finds room 206 and opens the door, expecting to immediately hear his mother cooing about her first grandchild.    
  
But instead, he hears coughing.    
  
He looks up and sees a sick, little blonde boy coughing his lungs out in his hospital bed. The boy looks up and his bloodshot eyes go wide. "Bucky?"    
  
It takes a moment for him to realize who it is. "Steve?!"   
  
Steve hasn't been at school this past week. Bucky was starting to get worried; it wasn't like Steve to just skip school. At first, he just assumed Steve caught a common cold. But then, he was missing for the fifth day in a row and Bucky started to worry that he moved schools or something. Even worse, what if something bad happened to him?   
  
Turns out, Bucky's fears came true. Steve looks absolutely awful; his skin even paler than usual, his eyes bloodshot and lips practically blue. He's shivering in his bed, but at the same time he looks like he's been sweating. Bucky sees his art book on his lap, and a pencil gripped loosely in the hand that isn't covering his horrendous coughing.    
  
"What are you doing here?" Steve croaks out, throat sore from all the coughing. Bucky's heart breaks a little.    
  
"I- uh, got lost?" Bucky's cheeks turn pink in embarrassment.    
  
Steve smiles before coughing hysterically again. "Seriously?"    
  
Bucky nods. "Yeah...my sister gave birth tonight and I got tired of hearing my mom go on and on about the baby, so I went to the cafeteria to get something to eat. I guess I forgot what room she's in."   
  
"I guess so," Steve says weakly.   
  
"What's wrong?" Bucky asks.    
  
"Pneumonia," Steve says simply, and Bucky gasps.    
  
"Pneumonia?!" Bucky's heart breaks. "Oh my god, Steve! Are you going to be alright?"   
  
Steve nods. "I think so. It's not like this is my first time having it." Bucky must make a face, because Steve flinches and apologizes. "Sorry. You didn't need to know that."   
  
"Do you..." Bucky wants to ask, but he doesn't know how it'll come out. "Do you get sick a lot?"    
  
Steve looks irritated suddenly. "Why, do I look like I do?"   
  
"No, not like that!" Bucky grimaces.   
  
"I'm not dumb, Bucky." Steve deadpans. "I know I'm abnormally skinny and pale and small for my age. Hell, even the doctors don't know how I've made it this far."   
  
"Steve..." Bucky looks directly in those blue eyes, face going soft.    
  
Steve sighs. "Sorry. I get defensive pretty quickly."   
  
"It's okay," Bucky says softly. "Sorry I made you upset."   
  
"You didn't," Steve reassures him. "I'm just...not my best right now."    
  
"I guess I should leave," Bucky says awkwardly, but the last thing he wants to do is leave Steve right now.   
  
"You don't have to," Steve blurts out. "I mean, if you don't want to."   
  
Even as sickly his skin looks, Bucky can still see some blood rush to his cheeks before disappearing. Steve starts coughing hysterically again, making Bucky rush to his side to pat his back and hand him water.    
  
Steve takes a big gulp of his water. "Thanks."   
  
Bucky gives him a small smile. "Isn't anyone here with you?"   
  
"My mom's at work," Steve smiles sadly. As if Steve knew he was going to ask if there was anyone else, Steve continues. "Dad's dead. It's just my mom and I."   
  
"Oh," Bucky looks down. "I'm sorry."   
  
"It's okay," Steve starts coughing again. Up close, Bucky can hear his chest rattling with each weak breath. Bucky knows Steve has asthma - had to give him his inhaler on the first day of school when they walked up the stairs for English class - so he can't imagine how hard it is to breath right now due to the pneumonia.    
  
"Hey," without thinking, Bucky grabs Steve's right hand. It's extremely cold, and Bucky wishes he could give all his body heat to Steve at the moment. "I missed you at school."   
  
"Really?" Steve looks at him, sounding hopeful.    
  
"Yeah," Bucky says softly, a blush covering his cheeks. "Sorry I don't talk to you much at school."   
  
"It's okay," Steve says. "I have my own friends. I'm usually in the art room whenever I can be, anyway."   
  
"I've seen some of your work," Bucky says. "You're really good."   
  
"Thanks," Steve smiles. After coughing again, he continues. "I, um, get sick a lot. Have since I was a baby. So, whenever I'm stuck in bed or whatever, I just draw and listen to music. It's all I can really do instead of being completely miserable."   
  
"I'm sorry," Bucky can't help but to say again.   
  
"I don't need your pity, Buck." Steve gets defensive.    
  
"I know," Bucky says. "I just- I don't like seeing you sick, okay?"   
  
Before Steve can say anything, the door opens and a nurse walks in with a tray of medicine and needles. Poor Steve, Bucky thinks.    
  
"Steve, it's time for your meds. Oh-" the nurse stops when she sees Bucky. "Sir, visiting hours have been over for a while now. You can't be in here."    
  
"Sorry," Bucky looks down. "I got lost. Do you know what room Rebecca Barnes-Proctor is in?"   
  
"Depends," the nurse answers. "What's she here for?"   
  
"She just gave birth to her baby," Bucky says.    
  
The nurse gives Bucky a weird look. "Sir, the delivery rooms are on floor two. You're on floor three."   
  
"Oh," Bucky deadpans. "Oops."   
  
Steve weakly laughs. Bucky looks back towards the boy and gives him a sad smile. "Guess I gotta go, pal. Will you come back to school?"   
  
"Eventually," Steve answers. "Probably not until after winter break, though."   
  
"Alright," Bucky realizes he's still holding Steve's hand. He reluctantly lets go and steps back. "See you later?"   
  
Steve smiles and nods. "Try not to get lost."   
  
Bucky grins. "Punk."   
  
"Jerk."

-

  
Steve recovers from his pneumonia and comes back to school after winter break. He's excited to find out that Bucky has four classes with him, and Bucky decides that Steve doesn't have to know that he went to the counselor and begged them to put Steve in more classes with him.    
  
"You like him," Natasha sits down in the seat next to him one day. It's currently lunch time and the cafeteria is packed with hungry teenagers. Bucky's eating his ham and cheese sandwich like he hasn't eaten in days (he ate this morning) and almost chokes when Natasha calls him out on his crush.   
  
"Who?" Bucky plays dumb. Of course he likes Steve. In fact, he's head-over-heels with that tiny blonde boy and his fluffy brown hair, bright blue eyes and pink plump lips...   
  
"James," Natasha deadpans. "Ask him out!"   
  
"He doesn't like me that way," Bucky mumbles. "Besides, I think Peggy Carter would have something to say about it."   
  
"Fuck that bitch!" Natasha says. "Dude, Steve likes you, not her."   
  
"He was drawing her in his notebook the other day," Bucky frowns.   
  
"They're in art class together," Natasha claims. "Maybe they had to draw portraits of each other!   
  
Bucky sighs. "He's not really talking to me right now, anyway."   
  
"Why not?" Natasha asks.    
  
"You know the party we went to Saturday?" Bucky questions. Natasha nods and he continues. "Well, you know I got kind of drunk. But I didn't tell you that I made out with Wanda right in front of Steve."   
  
Natasha blinks at him for a moment before punching him in the arm. "Dumbass!"    
  
""I was drunk!" Bucky defends himself, rubbing his arm where Natasha punched him.    
  
"That's why he wanted to go home," Natasha concludes.    
  
Bucky cringes. "Yeah."   
  
"He probably thinks that you're not interested now," Natasha says.   
  
"But I'm so interested," Bucky groans, putting his head in his hands.    
  
"I know," Natasha says.    
  
"I messed up," Bucky sighs.    
  
"I know," Natasha repeats.    
  
"You're not helping," Bucky deadpans.    
  
"Go talk to him," Natasha rolls her eyes. "You two are so dumb."   
  
Before Bucky can respond, the rest of their friend group sits down at the table.    
  
"Hey, Sam!" Bucky looks his friend, who also happens to be a good friend of Steve's. "Have you seen Steve?"   
  
"Uh, yeah," Sam says, giving Bucky a look. "He said he's sitting with Peggy today."   
  
Bucky tries not to grimace. "Oh, cool."   
  
"What're we talking about?" Tony Stark, the richest kid in school (and in Bucky's opinion, the most obnoxious person on the planet), sits down next to Natasha.    
  
Clint, who sat down with Sam, speaks up. "About how Buckaroo here sucked tongues with Wanda at your party on Saturday right in front of Steve."   
  
Tony barks out a laugh. "Man, that's funny."   
  
"Shut up, Tony!" Bucky grumbles.    
  
"Poor little Steve," Tony ignores Bucky. "You probably broke his heart."   
  
"He doesn't like me like that," Bucky mutters.    
  
"Well not if you keep making out with other people," Tony says as if it's obvious.    
  
Bucky gets up abruptly, leaving his lunch behind. "I'm going to the bathroom."   
  
"The bathroom's the other way!" Natasha calls out as he walks away. He keeps walking, anyway. He doesn't have an actual destination in mind, he just wanted to get away from his shitty friends. Except, after walking for five minutes, his juice from lunch catches up with his bladder and now he really has to pee.    
  
Not paying attention, he walks towards where he thinks the nearest bathroom is and opens the door. He starts to fumble with his belt, and then realizes that the bathroom shouldn't have dried paint all over the floor.   
  
"Bucky?" he looks up to see Steve looking at him, easel in his hand. The blonde has paint splatters on his face and button up blue floral pattern shirt. He's wearing a dark pair of skinny jeans today and some white converse to match. And best of all, his hair looks fluffy on top of his head after him growing it out for a few months.    
  
Bucky can't breathe.    
  
"Bucky!" Steve says louder, and he snaps out of his trance and fumbles to secure his belt back on.    
  
"Steve!" Bucky's bright red, and he can see Steve grinning. "I, um-"   
  
"You got lost trying to find the bathroom, didn't you?" Steve grins.    
  
"Shut up, punk." Bucky mutters.    
  
"Jerk," Steve smiles again, softer now. "Maybe someone needs to be by you twenty-four/seven to stop you from getting lost all the time."   
  
"Maybe someone needs to carry you twenty-four/seven to stop you from getting trampled in the hallways all the time," Bucky fires back. Steve's jaw drops and Bucky almost chokes on his spit. "Oh my god, Steve-"   
  
"Bucky," Steve chuckles. "Just shut up."    
  
"I'm sorry!" Bucky squeaks.   
  
Steve rolls his eyes and focuses back on his painting. "No, it was a good comeback. I think I've only heard it once before."   
  
"You're an asshole, you know that?" Bucky says playfully.    
  
"I've been told," Steve grins, but it faded away as he stars to add red paint to whatever he's painting.    
  
"What're you painting?" Bucky asks, walking over to the canvas. He peeks around Steve to see Peggy's face painted to perfection on the canvas.    
  
"Peggy," Steve says, oblivious to Bucky's heart breaking. "You know Peggy Carter, right? She's a really good friend of mine. I- Bucky?"    
  
The door slams shut, leaving Steve alone and confused.    
  


-   
  


It continues for fives months, Bucky avoiding Steve. Bucky knows he's overreacting, but his heart hurts too much when he sees that stupid blonde boy with the big doe eyes and pink lips.    
  
Bucky turns seventeen and throws a party, one where Steve is not invited. After weeks of trying to talk to Bucky at school, on the phone, etc,. Steve gives up on trying.    
  
Every time Bucky sees Peggy and Steve in the hallways together, eating lunch or hanging out outside of school, his blood boils. Sometimes, Steve makes eye contact with Bucky accidentally and he makes sure to squeeze Peggy's hand a little harder.    
  
_ Fine _ , Bucky thinks.  _ Two can play this game _ .   
  
Except, two cannot play this game because Bucky has no one to hold his hand. He asked Natasha, but all he got in return was a slap in the face and a lecture on how he "was an idiot" and "needed to go talk to Steve."   
  
So, time flew by. Bucky tried to move on with his life (he didn't) and Steve assumed Bucky didn't want anything to do with him. School lets out in May and suddenly, it's their senior year and everyone is afraid.    
  
Bucky hasn't seen Steve all summer, despite Marvel County not being a big town. The August heat is becoming unbearable, but Natasha wants to research colleges with him today and no one would give him a ride to her house. So, he walks and is sure to make the right turn this time.    
  
How he ends up back in Marvel County Park is beyond him.    
  
Realizing he's lost, he takes out his phone and starts scrolling through his contacts while plopping down on a bench. He realizes someone's sitting besides him and grimaces before talking.    
  
"Sorry, I hope this seat wasn't taken-" Bucky stops as soon as he looks over and sees those damn blue eyes looking back at him.   
  
The first thing Bucky notices is that he's gotten bigger. He's still too small for his age and pale, but he looks a lot more lean than he did at the end of the school year. He's obviously still short, but Bucky notices how his legs stretch longer and how he's wearing a pair of jeans he's never seen before. What really shocks Bucky, however, is how sad Steve looks.    
  
The two stare at each other, and Bucky feels like crawling into a hole and never come out.  _ Why the fuck is he so pretty _ ? Bucky cries in his mind.   
  
"Hey," Bucky clears his throat, looking down. He both anticipates and fears Steve's response.    
  
"You don't get to ditch me and then months later sit down next to me and say 'hey'." Steve tenses.    
  
Bucky cringes. "What do you want to hear?"   
  
"I don't know," Steve clenches his fists. "Maybe a 'Hey, Steve! Sorry I left you for no fucking reason for five months without an explanation! I've been a real dick but let me just sit next you randomly and say 'hey' like nothing fucking happened!"   
  
Bucky knows he's right, but his blood still boils. "Why are you mad at me? You're the one that clearly wanted nothing to do with me."   
  
And Bucky know that's a straight up lie, but he's desperate. He knows he said the wrong thing when he looks Steve in the eye and sees all the rage in his soul.    
  
"You know what?" Steve stands up, the notebook that was on his lap falling to the ground. "Fuck you, Barnes."   
  
"You wish," comes out of Bucky's mouth before he can stop it.   
  
Steve's footsteps stop, and every muscle in his body tenses. Before Bucky can realize it, Steve's turning around and punching Bucky in the face.   
  
"Ow!" Bucky grabs the side of his face. "What the fuck, Steve?!"   
  
Steve grips Bucky by his long hair - which grew down to his shoulders over the summer - and pushes him to the ground. He pins Bucky to the ground with his legs and starts punching Bucky's face again.    
  
"Is that why you stopped talking to me?" Steve sounds desperate. Bucky doesn't answer, and Steve stops punching him to grab the collar of his black t-shirt and look him in the eye. Bucky realizes Steve's whole body is shaking; his eyes are starting to tear up uncontrollably and he looks like he's in pain. "Tell me! Is that why you stopped talking to me?!"   
  
"What are you talking about?!" Bucky spits out.    
  
"Did you stop talking to me because you found out I'm gay?!" Steve yells, and Bucky's world stops altogether. Steve turns white as he realizes what he just said, and his grip loosens around Bucky's shirt.   
  
"Steve-"    
  
"No," Steve interrupts him, climbing off of Bucky and putting distance between them.    
  
"Steve, wait!" Bucky stands up, reaching his hand out, but Steve's already disappearing into the horizon. Bucky heaves from where he stands, feeling like his world is crashing down. He sees Steve's art book on the ground and picks it up with shaky hands.    
  
"What the fuck did I do?" Bucky whispers to himself.    
  


-

  
_ "If lost, please return to Steven G. Rogers at 1918 Brooklyn Drive, Marvel County..." _   
  
The words to where Steve is at are right in front of him. All he has to do is walk ten minutes to his house and tell Steve the truth - and of course, return his art book -. Why is that so hard?    
  
The streets of Marvel County are quiet. Families are spending time with each other, children are asleep and teenagers are cramming in their summer homework the week before school starts. Even though the sun has been down for hours, the air is still as hot as it was during the day.    
  
Bucky's dressed in a pair of ripped black jeans and a checkered shirt. Steve's book is under his arm and the directions to his house are in his hand. All he needs to do now is go.    
  
He walks downstairs and puts on his black shoes. "Mom, Dad? I'm going out, I'll be back later!"   
  
"Do you need a ride?" Bucky's mom asks.   
  
"No," Bucky says. "I can do this on my own."   
  
"Are you sure?" Bucky's mom appears in the front hall, looking at him skeptically. "Honey, it's late and I don't want you getting lost."   
  
"I won't get lost," Bucky claims. "I can't."   
  
"James-"   
  
"Mom!" Bucky looks his mother in the eye. "For once in my life, I know where I'm going."   
  
"Is everything alright?" his mom questions.   
  
"No," Bucky says. "That's why I need to go make it alright."   
  
"I swear to god if you get lost-"   
  
"I'll be home later!" Bucky opens the door and runs out, leaving his mother baffled.   
  
"What was that all about?" Bucky's dad walks to his wife and puts his arms around her shoulders.    
  
"Teenagers," Mrs. Barnes sighs before closing the door.    
  


-   
  


_Alright, Barnes. You can do this_, Bucky thinks to himself, reading the directions._ I take a left at SHIELD street, he goes left and walks two blocks. Pass the high school on the right _(he does) _and then turn right onto Avengers Avenue. After one block, take a sharp left onto Brooklyn Drive. Your destination will be on the left._   
  
Bucky looks up and sees a small house with the numbers "1918 Brooklyn Drive" on the front. _Holy shit_, he thinks. _I did it!_  
  
"I...didn't get lost!" Bucky grins, talking to know one. "I didn't get lost. It's a miracle!"  
  
"Can you shut up?" one of Steve's neighbors says from an open window.   
  
"Sorry!" Bucky calls back. The lady just rolls her eyes and shuts her window.   
  
Back on task, Bucky takes a deep breath and walks up the porch. Closing his eyes, he knocks on the door and waits for his fate.   
  
"Hello?" Steve answers the door in pajama pants and a baggy t-shirt, and he's never looked cuter. He's also half asleep and doesn't even look at Bucky.  
  
"Steve?" Bucky says softly.  
  
Steve's eyes bulge out of his head. "Bucky?"  
  
"I, uh-" Bucky stutters. "You forgot your book in the park."  
  
"Oh," Steve whispers. He takes the old art book into his frail hands. "Thanks."  
  
"Steve," Bucky says again.  
  
The blonde boy tenses up. "What, Bucky?"  
  
"I didn't...I didn't stop talking to you because you're gay. In fact, I didn't even know that until today." Bucky states.   
  
"Then why did you?" Steve grips the door.  
  
Bucky takes a deep breath. He deserves the truth. "I started avoiding you because I was scared. I was jealous and scared because of it."  
  
Steve looks at him for a moment before opening his door wider. "Come inside."  
  
Bucky follows Steve inside his house and lets the smaller boy guide him to the living room. Steve sits on one side of a ratty couch while Bucky sits on the other. "Okay, continue."  
  
Bucky takes a deep breath and starts again. "I was jealous of you and Peggy, okay? Because I- I liked you. Still do. A lot, actually."  
  
"Buck," Steve's face softens. "Why didn't you just tell me?"  
  
"Because," Bucky feels tears start to run down his cheek. "I didn't want to be a bad friend. You looked so happy with Peggy and I-"  
  
"Peggy and I weren't even dating," Steve interrupts.   
  
Bucky looks at him like he just spoke another language. "But- you two were always holding hands?"  
  
"Can friends not hold hands?" Steve raises his brow.  
  
"What about the portrait? You were literally drawing and painting her."  
  
"That was for a project," Steve claims. "We had to draw and paint portraits of each other. You really thought we were dating?"  
  
Bucky's head drops. "God, I'm so stupid!"  
  
"Bucky-" Steve begins.   
  
"I'm so sorry, Steve!" Bucky cries. "I am so, so, so, so, so sorry. I'm such an idiot. I've been such a bad friend."  
  
"Bucky!" Steve says louder. Bucky looks up at him with wide eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "I like you, too."  
  
Bucky does a double-take. "You do?"   
  
Steve nods. "Yeah, I always have. When you started ignoring me, I thought you were disgusted by me or something. I was heartbroken."  
  
"You didn't do anything," Bucky takes a hold of the blonde's bony hands.   
  
Steve takes a shaky breath and drops his head. "I- I thought you had found out about me being gay. I had told Peggy confidentially, but I think someone overheard and started telling people. I know some people aren't okay with that, so when you stopped talking to me..."  
  
"I'm so sorry," Bucky's eyes start spilling tears again. "I promise you, that's not why I stopped talking to you. I'm an idiot, really. I wasted an entire summer and missed you every freaking day instead of just asking you about it."   
  
"Well, you're here now." Steve rubs the pads of his thumbs against Bucky's hands while looking back up again. "Wait- how did you get here?"  
  
"Your art book," Bucky claims. "Your address was on the inside cover. I swear I didn't look through your artwork, though. I just saw your address and...I knew I had to come talk to you as soon as possible."  
  
"So, you got dropped off here?" Steve asks.  
  
"No," Bucky answers. "I walked here."  
  
"All by yourself?" the blonde raises his brow.   
  
"Yeah," Bucky replies, not understanding where Steve is going with this.   
  
Steve grins, lighting up the world around him before leaning in and kissing Bucky. His lips are chapped and cold, but none of that matters as Bucky's smooths warm lips cover his.   
  
Bucky hasn't kissed very many people before, but he knows nothing will top this. Steve's so sweet; his lips taste like honey and sugar. Bucky slowly licks Steve's bottom lip, asking for entrance. Steve hums and opens his mouth immediately and deepens the kiss. More of the sweet feeling hits Bucky as he collides his tongue with Steve's. It's so sweet, he can feel himself getting high off it.   
  
Before the kiss escalates, Steve puts his hand on Bucky's chest. He slows down the kiss; going back to closed-mouth pecks until he pulls back. They're both breathing heavily with their eyelids hooded and lips shiny with saliva.   
  
"You didn't get lost," Steve says with a shaky breath, looking Bucky in the eye. Bucky can barely see the blue in his eye.   
  
Bucky chuckles, blushing prettily. "Yeah, I guess I didn't."  
  
Steve looks down and frowns. "I should be honest with you. At that party, when you made out with Wanda..." Bucky cringes, but lets him continue. "I got jealous, and I started avoiding you. I guess I felt a little disappointed, so I hung around Peggy more after that. I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't apologize," Bucky cups Steve's head, getting him to look up again. "I feel really bad about that, too. I don't know what I was fucking doing, to be honest. I didn't even like Wanda like that; I liked you."  
  
"You were drunk," Steve shrugs. "It's okay."   
  
"No, it's not." Bucky sighs. "But, let's not think about that anymore. We're here now, that's what matters. Right?"  
  
"Yeah," Steve whispers. Bucky's hair keeps falling in his eyes, so Steve slowly brushes it out his face and tucks it behind his ear. His thumb brushes against Bucky's cheek, making him wince. Steve pulls his hand back immediately as if he had just burned the brunette. "Oh, shit! I punched you earlier, didn't I?"   
  
Bucky grimaces. "It's okay, Steve."  
  
"Oh my god," Steve shakes. "I'm so sorry, Bucky. Did I hurt you? Oh my god, I'm so sorry."  
  
"Steve," Bucky puts his hands on his shoulders. He pulls the smaller boy into a hug, and rubs his back into his muscles relax. "It's okay. I honestly deserved it. And, it's just a little sore. Nothing some ice won't fix, okay?"   
  
"Still," Steve mutters into Bucky's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."  
  
Bucky grins. "Now, I don't think you could still be Steve and not have a temper."   
  
"Shut up," Steve chuckles, gripping onto Bucky tighter. His body is warm and smells like vanilla. Bucky doesn't think he could ever get this boy out of his system.   
  
It's not like he wants to, though.   
  
While hugging, Bucky feels Steve brush his long hair off his shoulder and nuzzling into his neck. Bucky immediately blushes. "Steve-"  
  
"Shh," Steve whispers, kissing up Bucky's neck to his ear. "I want to make you feel good."  
  
Bucky hums, and slowly loses himself in the feeling of Steve's lips. He kisses a sweet spot behind Bucky's ear, making him shiver. Bucky can feel Steve grin before he starts sucking that spot.  
  
"Steve," Bucky sighs. Steve climbs onto his lap while continuing to nip Bucky's lap. The weight on him feels so good, making his eyelids flutter.   
  
"Is this okay?" Steve asks, licking the spot he just bit.   
  
"Yeah," Bucky hums. Before his body starts reacting too quickly, he pulls away from Steve's lips for a second. "I, um- I don't want to do it yet, though."  
  
Steve pecks his lips. "Neither do I. But, I'm okay with this...if you are?"   
  
Bucky smiles and nods, humming again when Steve starts to kiss the other side of his neck. He grips the tiny blonde's waist and rubs soothing circles on the exposed skin between Steve's shirt and pants. Steve sighs into his skin, biting one more bite into Bucky's clavicle before soothing it with his tongue. Steve cups his head and kisses him again.   
  
Bucky sucks tentatively on Steve's lower lip, making the smaller boy groan. He shifts his hips closer to Bucky's and _holy shit that feels really good_, Bucky thinks.   
  
"Sorry," Steve breaks the kiss, pushing his hips back a little. "I didn't even realize I did that."  
  
"It's okay," Bucky blushes. "It, uh- it felt good."  
  
Steve turns red as well. "It did?"  
  
Bucky chuckles out of embarrassment. "Yeah."  
  
The room goes silent; both boys red as tomatoes until they both start giggling. Steve rolls off Bucky's lap onto the couch while they laugh, automatically curling up into Bucky's side as Bucky wraps his arms around him.   
  
"God," Bucky looks up at the ceiling. "We're so awkward."  
  
"We're not going to be one of those gross couples in the hallway at school, right?" Steve jokes.  
  
"Hell no," Bucky scoffs. "Unless if you want to..."  
  
"Shut up," Steve pushes Bucky playfully.   
  
"Punk," Bucky grabs Steve's face.   
  
"Jerk," Steve whispers before locking their lips together once more.   
  


-   
  


Bucky still gets lost a lot. On the first day of his senior year, he got lost a total of five times. He gets lost on his way home from school, and still goes in the wrong direction while trying to get to Natasha's. But somehow, Steve's always there to find him. And he wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
